BNPB Immediately Releases Disaster-Prone Homecoming Route Map

Head of BNPB Lt. Gen. Suharyanto during a Ministerial Level Meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture Office, Jakarta, Monday (11/12/2023). (ANTARA/HO-BNPB)

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) will release a map of the disaster-prone homecoming route that can be used by the community as a guideline when traveling for the 2023 Christmas and 2024 New Year holidays.

"Mapta prone to flood disasters, prone to extreme weather and prone to landslides, will be distributed to the community, to the local government so that holiday travelers will understand (the level of disaster-prone) when they arrive in their respective areas," said Head of BNPB Lt. Gen. Suharyanto during a ministerial meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture office, Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 11.

Suharyanto said the preparation of the map was a step to increase preparedness and mitigation to reduce the impact of disaster events.

To anticipate the wet hydrometeorological disaster which is predicted to occur until February 2024, BNPB appealed to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in each region to be on standby.

A number of areas that have to get special attention are prone to potential disasters such as Lampung, Bali, and the provinces on the island of Java.

Then in the context of emergency alert for Christmas and New Year holidays, local governments are advised to set up command posts, prepare operational plans, and deploy equipment.

"We encourage the local government to establish an emergency alert status, so before the regional government disaster occurs it can be ready and so that from the center it can provide resource assistance to the regions," he said.

He also appealed to local governments to take anticipatory steps in accordance with the characteristics of their respective regions.

The anticipation in question is for urban areas to ensure an effective and clean drainage system from waste and take advantage of weather monitoring systems or early warning systems to detect potential heavy rains.

Hills areas should be aware of dry soil cracks that are prone to landslides when there is rain, apply soil and water conservation techniques, and maintain green routes to reduce erosion and landslides, design drainage systems that match hilly topography.

The mountainous area is wary of cold lava floods when it rains high intensity and cleans up fallen trees that fall into river bodies upstream so as not to become natural dams.

"Next, coastal areas, be aware of the potential for tidal flooding, always monitor weather predictions and wave heights as well as repair and care for coastal protectors to protect against abrasion, tidal flooding, and high waves," he said.